Ranking of teams that qualified for the World Cup 2026 play-offs… Iraq’s position

FIFA has released its monthly rankings, highlighting the details of the intercontinental play-offs for the 2026 World Cup. These play-offs feature six teams from different continents: one each from Africa and Asia, two from North America, one from South America, and one from Oceania. This format reflects the growing international competition among nations, particularly as they strive to achieve their dream of participating in the world’s biggest sporting event.

Iraq, DR Congo, Bolivia, New Caledonia, Jamaica, and Suriname have secured their places in this playoff, which will take place in March 2026. Four of these lower-ranked teams will compete for a spot against the higher-ranked teams. It will be interesting to see how this competition will affect the tournament format, as winning the two decisive matches will give one of these teams a chance to qualify for the finals.

In light of current events, FIFA today announced the date for the playoff draw, scheduled for Thursday, November 20. This draw will determine the upcoming matchups, further fueling the excitement of fans and analysts alike. Looking at the rankings, the Democratic Republic of Congo is ranked 56th globally, while Jamaica is ranked 70th, indicating the high level of competition among the participating teams.

It is noteworthy that DR Congo and Iraq will not face each other in the semi-finals; instead, they will each have to wait to face the winner of the matches between Jamaica and Bolivia, and Suriname and New Caledonia. This situation could have a significant impact on the teams’ mental and physical preparation, as the pressure intensifies with the approach of the draw and the upcoming matches.